Just heard of a man who, on finding his car get very hot, pulled off the road and bundled his family out for fear it would catch fire. Retreating to a safe distance, he realised he had the ingition key in his hand but the engine was still running. Somebody stopped and blocked the air filter to stop it. That's all I know but how could it happen?
If it was a petrol engine, cutting the ignition should stop it. If it was diesel - well exactly how is a diesel vehicle engine stopped via the key? I have no experience of diesel vehicles but the three diesel boat engines I have had were, if memory serves, stopped via a tug on a piece of wire which opened a cylinder valve, so decompression did the trick.
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With a diesel, although the fuel would have been cut off the engine can run on the oil in an overfull sump which can result from the regeneration process of the DPF.
However, I remember my friend, in the 70s, driving his dad's Morris 1800 with the ignition key in the dashboard so no steering lock. The worn lock allowed him to ease the key out whilst driving and with the engine still running.
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Used to be known as "running on", you don't see it very often these days, probably due to cleaner fuels.
IIRC it was caused by a combination of excess carbon deposits and incorrect ignition timing.
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There is "running on" and runaway diesels consuming its own engine oils. They are completely different. "running on" usually stopped after a short while.
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On a Bedford TK truck, the ignition switch was one of those which required a button to be pressed to turn the key the last notch for removal.
The act of pressing this button actuated the fuel cutoff, which stopped the engine. It was easily possible to press, turn, remove quickly and take the key out leaving the engine running.
One of the lads had required a jump start in one of the TKs and his first delivery was not too far away, so he wasn't sure he had enough battery charge for a restart when he got there. He decided to leave the engine running while he did the delivery to be on the safe side.
On returning to the truck he hopped in with his co-pilot and set off down the road. At the first bend there was a soft "click" as the steering lock engaged and he ended up parking the thing in someone's front garden after demolishing a wall.
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On the many diesel cars I have owned the "ignition switch" operates a solenoid in the high pressure fuel pump to physically shut of the fuel. The continued running (as opposed to a runaway on its lubricating oil) is probably a stuck solenoid or the key switch has not isolated the power to it. Fuel not shut off = engine runs.
However with the now ECU controlled cars, not a clue. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 1 Feb 13 at 10:28
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My first car still ran with the key removed. Wasn't supposed to but it was over 30 years ago and the car was a bit of a heap!
I too would expect the steering to lock had I done it at the most inopportune time - so apart from horrifying folk, I never went further!
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Yes, my first car, a Morris Minor, had that feature. It was the inverse of a car. Pull the key out, and it kept running, but put the key in first thing in the morning and it wouldn't start. Sigh.
Its other endearing moment was when the steering wheel fell off into my lap whilst driving. Disconcerting enough, but it then developed a delightful feature - it would hoot every time you turned right. Made entering petrol stations a joy, amongst other things.
The engine block cracked eventually, so I fixed it with Polyfilla, and it ran a few thousand miles more. Was still kind of going when I sold it for what I'd paid for it, a startling £300. Might even still be on the road for all I know. MBM559G.
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Might even still be on the road for all I know. MBM559G.
Just tried the reg in my parts system and it's still about (2 door saloon in blue, first registered 1.7.1969)
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Yep either taxed or SORN'd only last month.
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>>>my first car, a Morris Minor.... Matilda!
Now it just remains for you to track it down and buy back for old times sake.... being thankful your first car wasn't a DB5.
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You horror.
Actually, Mrs C wouldn't be averse to that - she liked it, even when it overheated for the umpteenth time in the dark and rain on the motorway. And a moggie would be a good summer weekend picnic car. Hmmm..
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wasnt it called dieseling?
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The "runaway" diesel is an incredibly violent spectacle to behold. The engine will spin round to maximum revs and stay there, accompanied by clouds of smoke out of the exhaust as the sump oil is burned. Eventually, it will run out of oil and either seize, or eject conrods or other internal components through the side of the block.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&v=Sg4YSk7aL8k&NR=1
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Ignore my duplicate link above. Fenlander beat me to it. By hours! :-)
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>> The "runaway" diesel is an incredibly violent spectacle to behold. The engine will spin round
>> to maximum revs and stay there, accompanied by clouds of smoke out of the exhaust
>> as the sump oil is burned. Eventually, it will run out of oil and either
>> seize, or eject conrods or other internal components through the side of the block.
It'll take a brave man to open the bonnet and disconnect and block up the air-intake with a pile of rags, or a t-shirt.
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>>It'll take a brave man to open the bonnet and.........
So true, as I once had the opportunity to prove that theory and totally bottled it. The noise, and its metal on metal clatter, was far too intimidating.
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Modern petrols cannot run-on;turning the ignition off turns off the injectors.Old engines could run-on because the carbuetor still supplied fuel!
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>> Like this?
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>> www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zx3qKX_Pno
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That seems to be running normally for a Land Rover.
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Yep - a bit of a 'cut the red wire now' scenario.
With a manual, you can shove it into 5, and stall it. With auto, you are (censored).
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Key removed, engine still runs - Fenlander
